Auxiliary reloading plate for press feeders



March 21, 1950 w, WALLER ET AL 2,501,553

AUXILIARY RELOADING PLATE FOR PRESS FEEDERS Filed July 28, 1948 Gearge Ml. wa/ler h'arry H. Waller JNVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 21, 1950 AUXILIARY RELOADING PLATE FOR mass FEEDERS George W.

Waller and :Harry n. Waller,

; Dallas, Tex. q

Application July 2 8, 1948', Serial No. 41,068

This invention relates to automatic printing press feeders and it has particular reference to an auxiliary reloading unit for press feeders.

In the operation of the automatic press feeders much of a pressmans time is consumed in reloading operations but most important is the fact that in replenishing the reloading magazine of a feeder, operation of the latter is interrupted and many impressions are lost. While this condition has long been recognized and efforts made to correct it, such attachments which have materialized as a result are comparatively complex and require certain alterations in a press feeder for their installation and use, a fact which is highly objectionable to the machine owner.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary reloading plate or panel for press feeders which is extremely simplein construction and which may be used by a pressman for reloading the feeder magazine at any time at his option and without the necessity for permanently attaching the plate to the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary reloading plate or panel for press feeders which consists of a stock separator plate of a length equal to the width of the reloading magazine of a press feeder and having on each ZClaims. (o1. tin-62 of'the drawing reference numeral I denotes the base plate of a press feeder magazine which is normally inclined in relation to the receiving station of a-press feeder, not shown. On each side of the base plate I I] is an elevator slide frame end a lug equipped with means to eifect its re- I leasable attachment to the slide frame castings of the feeder magazine. The auxiliary reloading panel, in clamped position, is adapted to occupy the position of the elevator advancing plate while the latter is being retracted preparatory to replenishing the partially depleted magazine and functions to retain the remaining stock reloading panel per se, constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a press feeder magazine showing two auxiliary reloading panels therein, although but a single panel is ordinarily required, and

Figure 3 is a view of a press feeder magazine in longitudinal section also showing two auxiliary reloading panels operatively arranged therein.

Continuing with a more detailed description casting II supported on the plate'by brackets I2 at their ends. These slide members I I have confronting grooves I3 (Fig. 3) receiving the ends of the elevator shaft I4.

The elevator advancing plate I5 has formed thereon a pair of bosses I6 which are bored to receive the rod or shaft I4 and this plate is advanced upwardly along the magazine base plate II) when tapes I1 adjacent the slide members II are wound on a ratchet shaft I 8 at the upper end of the magazine. The ratchet shaft I8 is actuated by a gear mechanism in the housing I9, so that upward movement of the elevator advancing plate I5 may beregulated in feeding stock to the grip- .pers or suckers of the press feeder.

The illustration is that of the conventional Kluge press feeder, on which the invention is designed to operate and since the construction and operation of this machine is well known to those versed in the art, further description thereof is considered unnecessary to a full understanding of the construction and purpose-of the present invention. I

Accordingly, the invention consists of a panel 20, as shown separately in Figure 1, lower portions of which are cut away to define extensions the magazine base plate I0.

At each end of the panel 20 is an offset or stepped lug;23,..having abifurcated upper end receiving the extension 2| of the panel 20 and which is secured thereto by means of rivets or pins 24. The offset portions of the lugs 23 provide shoulders a which are adapted to rest on the slide frame castings I I and the lower ends of the lugs; are each provided with an internally threaded aperture adapted to receive a thumb screw 25, although but one such screw is actually necessary as will become apparent presently.

Detachably and interchangeably mountable on the panel 20 is a group of spring steel clips 26 and 21. The clips are of identical construction but are designated by different reference numerals to better reveal their function. The panel 20 is cut away as explained, to expose as little area as possible to the stock in the magazine and the is such that it extends well above the panellll in the magazine and their presence insures per pendicularity of the stock with respect to the base plate 10. Both the clips 26 and 21' may be longitudinally adjusted on the panel 20 when the nature of the stock may require changesin po: sition of the clips for better feeding performance.

In operation, a pressman will fill the space between the elevator advancing plate and the feeding point of the magazine with stock. This may be done while the press feeder is either operating or idle." The feeder is then set to feeding, the suckers transferring stock sheets singly from the magazine into the press. As the magazine stock diminishes, the elevator advancing plate 15 moves upwardly.

It happens frequently that a pressman attending to other duties will either neglect to replenish the magazine or will find it impossible to at once attend to the reloading thereof. In any such case, the feeder continues to operate but many impressions are lost, resulting in a financial loss to the printer through loss of time.

A pressman equipped with the invention has simply to dispose the panel between the elevator advancing plate 15 and the stock being advanced thereby and to secure the panel 20 by turning one of the thumb screws 25. Two of such screws are shown by one is ordinarily sufficient to hold the panel 20 during the brief period when the elevator advancing plate I5 is returned to its original starting position-at the rear of the magazine. While the auxiliary panel 20 retains the remaining stock in feeding position, the pressman will obtain additional stock and place the same between the remaining stock and the advancing plate [5, after whichhe will release the latter for feeding and will loosen-the screw and remove the auxiliary panel 20 entirely from the magazine. v The panel 20 is not againused until the pressman finds it expedient'to again replenish the magazine which he does at his time and option.

It is clearly apparent from the foregoing that without altering or defacing his press feeder in any manner, a pressman may speed up his output, especially during long runs, by employing the invention in the manner described.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In combination with the reloading magazine and elevator advancing plate of a press feeder, an auxiliary reloading unit comprising a panel adapted to be interposed in a partially depleted reloading magazine between the stock therein and the elevator advancing plate, a lug affixed to each end of said panel, each of said lugs having a shoulder adapted to rest upon the slide frame casting of said press feeder, a set screw in said lug below said shoulder adapted to engage said slide frame casting for temporarily securing said panel to hold the stock in feeding position in said magazine during retraction of said elevator advancing plate and interchangeable means adjustably carried by .said panel for minimizing friction between the stock and the base plate of said magazine when said panel is being manually shifted into operative position.

2. In combination with the reloading magazine and elevator advancing plate of press feeder, an auxiliary reloading unit comprising a panel having. an extension at each end adapted to overreach the elevator slide frame casting of said magazine, a stepped lug on the end of each of said panel extensions engaging said slide frame castings to support said panel between diminished stock in said magazine and said elevator advancing plate .to hold said stock in feeding position during retraction of said advancing plate for replenishment of said magazine, means on said panel lugs to clamp said panel onto said slide frame castings, and means comprising spring clips interchangeable and adjustably mounted on the panel to engage and relieve the stock of friction at its point of contact with the base of the reloading magazine when said panel is manually moved to dispose the same operatively against the stock.

' GEORGE W. WALLER.

HARRY H. WALLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,138,306 Patrick Nov. 29, 1938 2,178,783 Egger Nov. 7, 1939 2,336,839 Blackston Dec. 14, 1943 

